The Serious Side of Goofy
by SpyralHax
Summary: A collection of oneshots featuring Luffy x Robin, and maybe some hints of others. Some will be sequels to those found in Warmth for a Flower, so go check that out. Ratings vary, but all feature the main pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Serious Side of Goofy: Chapter 1 - Cold Winter's Night**

**Rating: K+**

**Pairing: Luffy x Robin**

**Here is the first chapter of the new Luffy x Robin anthology, 'Serious Side of Goofy'. Some of the stories here will be sequels to some found in 'Warmth For A Flower', so if you like the pairing, you might want to read that first just in case. This one is just a simple thing that came to me yesterday. During a cold night on the sea, Robin is sitting on look out. Feeling cold, she is about to go and get some warmer garb, until a certain rubber boy interrupts the peace of the night. Thoughts are always welcome, and I look forward to writing more for this awesome pairing. Enjoy.

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High above the eerily calm waters of the Grand Line, the moon sat, peacefully keeping watch over those who lived below. Its pure white glow was blocked, finding difficulty in peeking through the inky, ominously dark clouds. Beneath the whitish glow of the lunar object, the clouds hung over a particular patch of sea, as though they were taunting one particular ship.

Or one particular pirate crew, as it were.

Turning her head slightly from her latest tome of knowledge, a pair of blue eyes peered through the darkness, watching as the first flakes of snow began to fall from the sky. A soft, warm smile crept across her lips as she leaned forward, the reddish blanket rustling around her shoulders as she moved.

"My, it looks like it's snowing," she responded softly, her voice holding a small lilt as she tilted her eyes upward a bit. The individual flakes wafted down, only visible as they were illuminated by the soft glow of the small lamp she had brought with her into the lookout nest atop the Sunny's mast.

A soft exhalation of breath escaped her lips as she gazed out the window, mesmerized at the simple beauty of the clean, pure snow. Gradually the occasional petal of frozen water increased to a steady stream, and then a full on snow storm. Warm breaths hit the cold plate of glass in front of her, causing the moisture from within her body to condense on the smoothed surface.

Small, cool shivers passed through her lengthy frame, causing her to tighten the blanket she had brought with her closer to her body. It seemed to her at that moment that the protection she had brought was not nearly enough. The dark purple denim seemed entirely inadequate as she could almost feel the temperature dropping around her.

Light shivers turned quickly to intense shakes, her lips turning a shade to match her usual attire. Placing the thick novel onto the table in the center of the room, the young woman settled more fully into the comfortable couch that sat in the small cabin. Bringing her fingers up to her lips, she cupped them around her soft lips, blowing into the space with a deep breath.

The action provided some comfort, but it was all too fleeting as the coldness quickly found its way back into her slender digits. "Maybe I should get another blanket, or at least some warmer clothes," she pondered aloud. Now she knew why none of the rest of the crew were particularly interested in taking the night watch in these conditions.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she shrugged off the blanket, wishing she had some means of keeping warm without escaping into the cold of the night for any length of time. Soft wisps of jet black hair fell down in front of the cerulean pools, and she reached up, pushing them back in place behind her ears.

"Ah! It's cold!" a familiar, high-pitched whine filled the small room, her eyes involuntarily widening as she shifted her gaze down towards the deck of the comfortable ship. Squinting a bit, she noticed a lone figure darting across the lawn towards the mast. A soft smile graced her bluish lips as she watched him scurrying around, like an animal on the run from a large predator.

Before she could think of what she was doing, the ship's resident scholar had opened the door, porcelain flakes accumulating on the back of her head as she watched the Captain's movements. Just as suddenly as he had begun scurrying around, he had come to a stop, as though the thought processes had simply taken a break. A light giggle filled the night air, and Luffy looked up towards the cabin.

"What's so funny, Robin?" he asked, his bluish purple lips pursed as he listened to the oddly enchanting sound of laughter. Calloused fingers rubbed harshly against bared arms, trying to spark some warmth in his ever chilling body. As his teeth began to chatter together, he noticed the warm smile that the older woman was offering, a sight that all on the crew had come to cherish. It was not something given easily, though the woman had grown closer to the shipmates after they had survived Enies Lobby.

"If you're cold, why don't you just get back to bed?" she asked, cupping her left hand beside her mouth to help the sound carry. The ebony haired beauty felt the snow melting against her head, reminding her that she was still pumping blood throughout her body, even if it didn't feel as such.

"I had to pee, but then I decided to try and get a snack," he responded, earning another light-hearted chuckle from the older woman. The always energetic young man felt the blood flow begin to fade out, his fingers growing stiffer with each passing second.

"It's not much, but I have a few treats up here if you'd like," Robin offered, her eyes closing as she smiled down at her captain. A gust of wind gave her pause, and she felt her body lean back in towards the slight warmth of the lookout cabin. Luffy's deep eyes were staring into hers, his face alight with excitement.

"Oh, Robin, thanks a lot," he responded, as though he had entirely forgotten that he was cold in the first place.

"A-ah, it's nothing," she said, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. Slipping back into the small room, she watched curiously as he closed the door behind him. _'How does he have so much energy?'_ she asked herself, finding his endless sources of enthusiasm to be a true wonder of the world.

Settling back into her seat on the large sofa, Robin pulled the dark cloth tightly around her, trying to gain some warmth. Clasping her hands together, she rubbed them back and forth, adding the miniscule warmth to that gained from her breath. Beneath her lilac toned blouse, she could feel an uncomfortable tightness as all her skin seemed to tense at once. Most notably she found the hardness at the tips of her breasts most uncomfortable, grateful at least that Luffy seemed disinterested in such things.

"Nah, Robin, do you have anything else to eat?" Robin was shaken from her thoughts as Luffy's voice filled her ears. Crystalline eyes widened as she realized how close he was sitting, his face right in front of hers as he seemed to be looking right through her.

"No, I'm sorry, but that was all I had," she answered, unable to hide a smile at his visible disappointment. The young captain slid from his perch atop the table next to her, heading towards the door to the small cabin. As his hand grasped the handle, he turned towards her, offering a warm smile of gratitude.

"Well, I'll get back to bed. Thanks for the snacks," he said, his lips curling wide as he spoke, the smile seemingly growing with each second. Robin smiled in return, suddenly feeling even colder than she had before. A gust of cold wintry air burst into the room as Luffy opened the door, his red shirt billowing in the small gust.

"It's no problem. Good night, Luffy," she said, pulling the blanket up towards her chin, trying to keep all her bodily warmth from escaping. For a moment, Luffy froze, seemingly thinking over some kind of plan. A moment later, his face lit up, the well-known mischievous grin that usually signaled trouble for the crew. Small, barely perceptible shivers ran up her spine, wondering what he was going to do.

With the same speed at which he had climbed the mast to reach the cabin, Luffy had closed the door and seemingly disappeared from view. The young scholar looked around the room, wondering if perhaps he had fallen off the mast and landed on the deck. She shook that notion off almost immediately, knowing that a loud whine would have accompanied such an event.

Before she could regain sight of the young man, she felt her blanket being pulled away from her body, allowing the cold to brush against her. Turning her head to the left, she noticed the red clothed young man, his fingers gripping the edges of the blanket as he pulled it up towards his own chin.

"Luffy, what are you doing?" she asked, bewildered by the suddenness of his actions. The young man responded simply by laughing his usual, goofy laugh, the soft blanket rustling as he shifted his body beneath it, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Well, it's cold out there, and I figured you might be cold up here all by yourself," he said, the simplicity of his argument not debatable. After a minute of rustling, he seemed to settle, a contented sigh escaping his lips as the fabric settled just beneath his chin.

"I could have just gotten another blanket," she tried to counter, finding the cold from earlier quickly dissipating. She was aware of the heat from his strong but wiry frame, passing through her blouse and seeping into her body. A different shiver coursed through her body, as her skin seemed to tingle with the new source of warmth.

"Hmmm, but I was cold, too, and the best way to get warm is with body contact," he responded, laughing again as he spoke. Robin couldn't help but laugh in return, grateful that Luffy would not make too much of the situation.

"There is certainly no arguing that," she answered, finding herself leaning more closely to the young man. Small, contented sighs escaped both their lips as they sat in comfortable silence, Robin's eyes focusing on the steady falling of snow past the window. If she strained her eyes, she could almost make out each individual flake.

Shifting herself slightly, she looked up towards the face of her young captain, his eyes shut as sleep had already claimed him. A soft, almost girlish giggle escaped her lips at the sight of his innocent face, his scar sitting lazily beneath his left eye. Reaching from beneath the now warm blanket, she traced the small bit of flesh with her slender fingers, her mind showing her all the past incidents that Luffy had been part of.

Gradually her fingers slipped from the scar, her palm resting idly upon his cheek. The warmth she felt from his body was greater here, and her fingers almost instantly warmed up at the contact. In his sleep, the younger boy shifted a bit, bringing his body into closer contact with her own. A small blush stained her cheeks, finding the contact not at all unpleasant to her.

"I guess this is fine," she said, nestling up closer to the boy, her head leaning up against his shoulder. It was the first time she could recall falling asleep with a smile on her face. "It's not fair for you to always be helping me though," she whispered, her right arm draping itself across his body as she drifted off.

The next morning, the crew gathered on the snow covered deck, all garbed in their winter clothes as they wondered to one another where Luffy had snuck off to.

"It's not like there's anywhere to go, since we're on the ocean," Nami concluded, figuring it was nothing really to worry about. "I'm sure he'll show up when it's time to eat," she said, the others concurring with that sentiment.

"Well, I'll go relieve Robin and do a little exercising," Zoro said, waving lazily as he made his way towards the large mast. Gradually climbing the tall wooden pole, he found himself looking forward to that day's workout, figuring it would help warm him up a bit. As he reached the top, he peered into the small window, his right brow quirking upward as he noticed the amounts of fog on the window.

Not thinking too much of it, he opened the door, ready to get to his work-out routine right away. But the sight that greeted him was almost entirely unexpected, not that anything was REALLY unexpected with Luffy. The green haired swordsman blinked a few times, making sure he wasn't just hallucinating or something.

There on the lounge couch sat Luffy, with Robin innocently leaning against his upright frame. Reddish fabric surrounded them, as though holding the pair together. Once he was satisfied that it was not simply a dream, he smirked, closing the door before leaping down towards the deck.

"Oh, Zoro? I thought you were going to relieve Robin?" Nami inquired, drawing a passing interest from the rest of the crew. Zoro looked around for a moment, before snickering a bit to himself.

"Well, I was going to, but I didn't want to disturb them," he said, hiking his thumb up towards the top of the mast.

"Them?" Chopper asked, wondering who else could be in the lookout cabin with Robin on such a cold night.

"It's nothing, but I did find Luffy," Zoro responded before making his way towards the cabin, leaving the rest of the crew speechless. Sanji and Nami's eyes widened in shock as the information sunk in.

"Ah, way to go straw hat aniki," Franky said good naturedly, his imagination putting a more romantic spin on the situation. Chopper curiously asked Franky what he meant, the older man crouching down to impart his wisdom on the young animal. Usopp didn't think much of it and went about his business. Sanji and Nami simply stood, planted in place with vacant stares pointed towards where Zoro had been standing.

"Luffy and Robin…" Nami muttered, her mind unable to fully comprehend the concept.

As the crew took the information in different ways, Robin's clear blue eyes fluttered open, the same smile on her face as she had when sleep had claimed her. Turning her head, she again looked up towards the young man, his lips curled into an innocent, goofy smile.

"Thank you for the good night's sleep," she said, before leaning up and placing a soft, sweet kiss on his cheek. The action brought another slight blush to her cheeks as he seemed to chuckle a bit. Her eyes widened as she felt his arms moving, wrapping themselves around her shoulders and pulling her body closer to his.

"No problem. I slept really well, too," he said, chuckling in his usual way as his cheek leaned against the top of the young woman's head. "I could really get used to this," he said, his voice still holding a bit of sleepiness. If Robin hadn't known the young man better, he might have sounded a bit flirtatious. But as she considered getting up, she found herself not wanting to move.

"Me too, Luffy," she said softly, her cheeks strained a bit with the wideness of her smile.

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**There you go, just a short little fluff piece. Luffy and Robin together always makes me smile, so I hope some of that gets to you guys as well. So much fun to write, and I hope to get more written at a bit quicker pace. Still putting together the beginning of the on-going story from 'Luffy x Robin Halloween', so look forward to that eventually. Also still want to do a Ryuuma story, but that would probably be the hardest story to write for me. One last thing, I also plan on doing a bit more Luffy x Nojiko, as well as getting into Luffy x Hancock eventually (maybe a bit of it in this anthology), so also look forward to that. Until next time, good readers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Serious Side of Goofy: Chapter 2 - Comfort in the Rain**

**Rating: K**

**Pairing: you should know that already**

**Here is an AU story featuring these two. Got to practice for the future project. This one is just really simple in terms of set up. Luffy is feeling frustrated one day as he's walking through town. Then he spots a closed park. We all know that nothing keeps Luffy from doing what Luffy wants to do, but he's not alone on this particular night. Not as fluffy as I usually like, but thoughts always welcome. Enjoy.

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"Stupid Sanji, closing early," a soft, whiny voice sounded from a pair of pursed lips, two eyes narrowed in disappointment against the growing darkness. Two sets of fingers entwined at the back of a messy tuft of jet black hair. Thin, strong digits brushed against the underside of the edge of a well worn straw hat, its yellowish-white color showing more clearly in the dark than the red stripe that encircled the piece of headwear.

Looking around, the young boy watched as the street lights began to flicker on, the usually heavy crowds thinning just a bit as the time passed. In the normally blue sky above the tall rising structures of glass and steel, the inky colors of dusk began to appear. Brilliant pinks and yellows and oranges mixed together, as though the colors had simply been tossed onto a blank canvas. Blackish eyes reflected the wondrous sight, the young man's bad mood slowly lifting as he walked.

The cool night time air nipped at his bare toes, the soles of his shoes sounding loudly on the oddly deserted sidewalk. Charcoal tinted hair swayed a bit as the young man tilted his head, wondering why there were so few people around today. After thinking for a moment, he recalled why he was upset, the feelings coming back all at once. "I'll get him for this," he said almost evilly, his lips curling into a mischievous grin.

In his heart of hearts, he knew it wasn't that big a deal, since Sanji liked spending time with Nami, and any other beautiful woman who happened into the shop, but his childish desire for delicious food overwhelmed any common sense he might have had. Thinking about the delicious treats his long time friend could create nearly made the young man drool, his taste buds crackling with anticipation.

Red fabric swished and swayed as he walked, the black material of his pants brushing loudly together at the same time. Tilting his head upwards, he noticed some ominous, darkly colored clouds begin to roll in, deep black eyes widening as he recalled Nami mentioning something about rain. But he had been so excited for some treats that he hadn't really paid any attention to the red head's warnings.

"Grrr. Damn you, Sanji!" he shouted, lips widening as his voice sounded along the dimly lit street. The few pedestrians present stared curiously at the young man, before he again set about walking. All the air around him seemed to drop in temperature, his nose and throat cooling off with each intake of breath.

Each step seemed to calm him down a bit, and before he knew it, he was walking along at a relaxed pace, a pointless, aimless song escaping his lips as he made it up. After a few minutes of aimless walking, he came to a sight he recognized, his song coming to a pause as he stopped in front of a wide entrance.

On either side of the gate sat a pair of weather worn grizzly bears, the faces goofy and inviting for small children. The raven haired boy's face lit up in a smile as he thought about spending a bit of time in the park, until he noticed the white rectangle on the closed iron bars between the stone pillars. Leaning in as he walked towards it, he read the civic notice aloud, an old habit of his.

"Park closed due to weather." It read simply. Leaning back a bit, Luffy's smile faded, replaced with a frustrated frown. Was the whole city against him today? Never one to take warnings TOO seriously, the young man grinned his mischievous grin before grasping the upraised iron bars.

Sandaled feet pressed against flat, black metal as his hands gripped the cold material. Gusts of cool air blew his hat from his head, the strap keeping the accessory from flying out of his reach. With the practiced ability of one who routinely went where he was warned not to go, he quickly found himself in the abandoned park, none of the usual lamp posts lit up on this particular day.

"Guess it really is closed," he said simply, shrugging as he set off down the wide stone path. All around him he could hear the rustling of the heavy leaves, and the lapping of water at the edges of the large pond in the center. Moving his head from side to side, he whistled in appreciation, enjoying the feeling of being somewhere he wasn't supposed to go.

The Sun continued to dip beyond the horizon, drying up all the light available until the Moon rose into the sky. Light sandals clicked more loudly in the empty park, almost pounding in his ears as he walked. Off in the distance he could hear the sound of thunder, and even on his instincts he could tell it was going to start raining soon.

Reaching one end of the bridge that passed over a narrow patch of the pond, the young man paused, his eyes squinting as he could swear he saw another figure further ahead. The lack of light made it difficult to see, and he tried in vain to bring some detail to the figure ahead. All he could tell was that they were sitting atop the railing of the small bridge, a pair of slender legs swinging back and forth over the expanse of water.

A patch of clouds passed by, just as the moon peeked out to take its turn illuminating the world below. Charcoal eyes blinked as he readjusted to a source of light. Once he had rubbed the short lived sensitivity out, he found himself simply staring at the figure. Silky smooth ebony locks sat easily upon strong but slender shoulders.

The lazily swinging legs looked slender, but distinctive curves could be seen where the legs met with the edge of the bridge. Skin toned lips seemed to glow as they caught the rays of moonlight from above, along with a few stray strands of black hair. But as he looked a bit closer, he saw a distinctive downturn of the soft looking lips, a sure sign of a frown.

Never one to keep to himself, the young man bounded over towards the young woman, his eyes alight with nosey curiosity. The girl seemed engrossed in her own thoughts, and either was not aware of his presence, or was simply ignoring him. Resting his elbows on the red steel, the young man leaned over, looking up into the girl's eyes.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked. Clearly his words had surprised her, as the pair of crystalline eyes widened momentarily. His left brow quirked up, wondering for a moment if he had scared her or something.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I am just thinking a bit," she said, a forced, polite smile on her face as she responded to him. But even beneath the smile, he could hear the sounds of sadness on her voice.

"Hmm, well, that's fine," he said, watching as the woman's eyes set on the small ripples on the surface of the pond beneath them. Bending at the knees a bit, the young boy leapt onto the railing of the bridge, his legs dangling over the edge to the girl's right. Taking a deep breath, he began to swing his legs back and forth, the loose fitting sandals nearly skimming the surface of the water as he did.

"Umm, did you want something?" the raven haired girl asked, her eyes turning towards the young man next to her. She watched as he ran his fingers through his hair, lazily ruffling the messy black locks.

"Well, I wanted some treats, but stupid Sanji closed his store early so he could make kissy faces with Nami," he said, resting his palms on his knees as he looked out at the horizon beyond the park.

"I am sorry to hear that. But, what does that have to do with you sitting here?" the older woman responded, her voice much different from Nami's. The red-head's voice was very distinctive, holding a decidedly commanding tone when she wished it to, and simultaneously able to sound very feminine and cute.

But this person next to him sounded much more mature, and he could tell that she was much more in control of her emotions. The soft, barely audible lift to the occasional word was not at all unpleasant on his ears. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he wondered what it would be like to hear her laugh.

"Ah, nothing. You just looked kind of lonely, so I thought I'd keep you company," he responded straightly, his teeth visible as he grinned widely. The older woman simply stared a bit blankly at him, wondering if this was something he did with some sort of regularity, just talking to random strangers.

"You know, it's not normal to be talking to strange people, in the park at night," she commented, blue eyes watching his outline beneath the moon's light. He was somewhat skinny looking, but the way the red of his shirt clung to his frame left no doubt that he was fairly strong.

"I get that a lot. But it's fun to meet new people, neh?" the strange boy said, chuckling lightly at the comment. 'Fun' was not a word that the older girl would generally equate with meeting new people. A small ache echoed in her chest as she recalled the memory of the mistreatment she had endured in her lifetime, as though it were ordained by her birth star.

"I suppose it must be," she said, not wanting to ruin this young boy's good mood.

"Anyway, isn't it strange to be sitting on a bridge, in a closed park, at night?" the boy asked, a distinctive teasing tone in his voice as he spoke.

"I suppose it must be," she said, figuring there was no point arguing the matter. As the Moon crept slowly higher into the sky, its light seemed to almost focus on the pair on the railing of the small bridge. Silence filled the space around them, yet the older woman felt her spirits raising just a bit, more than they had been before his sudden interruption of her brooding.

As the silence continued, the black haired boy sighed, his mind drifting to the homework he still had to do over the spring break. The silent woman's curiosity began to peek its head out, wondering what would make him sigh.

"Is there something troubling you?" she asked, the curiosity getting the better of her common sense. The young man next to her pursed his lips, as though the thought was something of earth shattering importance.

"There's just so much homework to do, and it's all so boring," he complained, sticking his tongue out a bit to illustrate his distaste. The pair of deep blue eyes blinked as she took the information in. A small grin tugged at the corners of her lips, but she managed to suppress it before he noticed.

"I'm sure it's nothing too difficult. If you just sit down and do it, then you don't have to worry about it anymore, neh?" she explained, listening to a dissatisfied groan from within the young man's body.

"That's what Nami always says, but it's too hard," he said, his tone quite matter of fact on the subject. As the two of them continued to make small talk, the time passed, the black haired boy forgetting his frustration about his friend Sanji, even as the taller woman forgot her gloom and loneliness.

Just listening to the goofy stories he told made her almost feel a part of the excitement, which made her heart ache with want. She wanted to know what it was like to just enjoy life, and live in such a warm, loving environment. His bright, cheerful smile helped as well, almost as though he were trying to give her some of his natural positivity.

Once he had finished a particularly interesting story, the older woman's shoulders drooped forward, silky black locks falling over her shoulders. The younger boy's eyes narrowed, catching the depressed look as it returned to her soft features.

"That sounds so wonderful," she said, picturing herself among his group of friends, wondering how different things might be if she had been so lucky. How different she might have been.

"It's pretty good. But how come you haven't told me about your friends?" he asked, his naïve curiosity leading to a careless question. A humorless chuckle escaped her lips, not at all the sound he had wanted to hear when he had told her the stories of his friends.

"Because I don't have any. No friends, no family, no nothing," she said, her words piercing the endless enthusiasm of the young man. Luffy wondered for a moment if such a thing was possible, for someone to have no one to rely on. As though on some sort of cue, the dark clouds overhead seemed to break, dropping their payload of water droplets on the world below. Stray splashes quickly became a downpour, the water seeping through the clothes of both people on their perch at the edge of the bridge.

The young man paid no attention to the rain, letting the cold drops splash against his tanned skin. Black hair matted itself against his face as it got wetter, and he could tell that the older woman's body was experiencing the same effect.

Rolling backwards a bit, the black haired boy leapt of the railing, his eyes still locked on the lonely form of the porcelain skinned woman he had spent the few hours talking to. "It's raining, you know?" he said, his voice serious as he watched the cold drops soak through the thin material of her blouse.

"Thanks for your concern, but I'll just stay here a bit longer," she responded, biting her lower lip as it began to quiver. The black haired woman thought she was past this kind of thing. Past wanting things she couldn't have, past wishing for a normal life with good friends and something more.

She listened as his sandals squished a bit in the growing puddles of water, figuring it would be the only time she would see him. Sky blue eyes widened as she felt a strong grip around her waist, strong arms hoisting her off her perch atop the railing of the small bridge. Rain poured around her, her slender limbs finding it difficult to fight back.

Before she could properly respond, she found an arm resting in the crook of her knees, a second supporting her back at the shoulders. She blinked as she looked up into the face of the young boy she had been speaking with these past few hours, the moisture of the rain mingling with the light of the moon to give him an almost glistening appearance.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, her mind clicking back into action. The young man looked down at her, his face dead set and serious as he peered into her eyes. Seriousness gave way to mischief as he started moving, his feet splashing in the puddles as he walked towards the entrance.

"Well, if someone sits in the rain, they get sick, right? And I don't want you to get sick," he answered, catching her completely off guard. Her eyes narrowed a bit as a small blush stained her cheeks.

"That doesn't mean you can just interfere with people. This is not appropriate," she said, weakly pushing against his toned chest. His face didn't change as he approached the gate, easily clearing the tall iron bars in a single bound. The dark haired girl blinked as they landed upon the ground, wondering if she was dreaming.

"You can argue later, once you're warm and dry. Tomorrow, how about hanging out with me and Zoro?" he asked, his face alight in excitement as she took it in, not even pondering that she would decline the invitation.

"You can't just invite someone you just met to meet your friends," she excused, her heart beating more quickly as she let the words sink in. It was all too fast, too surreal to believe that it might be real.

"Oh, you can spend the night tonight because Ace is away on vacation," Luffy said, not noticing the widening of the deep blue pools of her eyes. As though that were the only thing wrong with this particular situation. But something about his demeanor left little room to argue, like he was used to getting his own way in matters.

After a while in his grip, the young woman simply leaned into his body, finding the warmth a bit comforting. "I guess arguing is pointless, isn't it?" she asked, smiling a bit as he chuckled.

"Shishishi. Yeah, but don't worry. I'm sure the others will like you, too," he said, without a shred of doubt in his voice.

"How strange. I don't even know your name."

"Luffy. I'm Luffy, nice to meet you," he responded, warming up a bit as he felt the woman's slender arms snake tightly around his neck.

"I'm Robin. Nice to meet you too, Luffy," she responded, her smile bringing a warmth to his cheeks. That was the sight he had wanted to see from the moment he had talked to her, and he found it to be worth the wait.

As they made their way through the cold spring rain, Robin felt a bit strange. Just talking to him for a few hours had affected her, and she could feel the change. He made it seem like things would be alright, and for now, she decided she could trust in someone one more time.

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**This one could be seen more as friendship than romance, but I'll let you be the judge of that. Next time will be more romantic fluff, and it will keep with the theme for these first 4 stories (seasons). Makes me smile thinking of it, so hopefully you'll all like it as well. On another, unrelated note, I just finished watching Gekiranger last night, and it was totally worth it just for the 'Rio saves Mele' scene. I'm a sucker for a good romantic angle. Anyway, until next time, good readers.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Serious Side of Goofy Chapter 3: Innocent Heat**

**rating: K**

**Ah, many apologies for how long this one took. I rethought it like 20 times before choosing this one. The original one I had planned really seemed more like a Luffy x Hancock or maybe Luffy x Nojiko story, but mostly I just had a hard time getting motivated. Hopefully they will come a bit faster than this, so enjoy the short little drabble folks.

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"Uuuuugh, it's hooo~t," a loud, whiny voice echoed across the spacious deck of the Thousand Sunny. Black hair fluttered in the gently moving summer breeze, the mists of the sea feeling uncomfortably warm against already heated skin.

"For the thousandth time, we get it, you annoying bastard," a gruff, gravelly voice followed, no energy in the simple words.

"Look, it's just because there's a summer island nearby," the ship's navigator scolded, her voice drained and lifeless, hardly recognizable compared to her usually commanding tone when addressing the other members of their crew. Red hair rustled as an uncomfortably warm breeze blew past, drawing a groan of discomfort from the rest of the assembled crew.

"Nah, isn't there anything we can do?" the long nosed boy asked hopefully, causing all eyes to shift to one of the two seemingly unaffected by the head. Sea blue hair stood defiantly against the heat, darkened glasses reflecting the light back towards its source. A strong arm moved slightly upward, lifting the glasses to a more comfortable position as another rested on the metallic knees of his legs.

"There's nothing I can do. We had to use the last of the cola to get away from those Marines, so there's none to run the power on the ship. Unless you want the refrigeration to die out, there's nothing to be done," Franky responded, stroking his chin thoughtfully as his red tropical shirt fluttered in the oppressive breeze.

"Ugh, who the hell makes everything run on cola power?" Nami asked rhetorically, unable to voice her usual displeasure at the situation, the Sun beaming down effortlessly on the exhausted, overheated crew.

Beneath the small amount of shade, the ship's archaeologist sat upon the single plank wooden swing. Long, slender legs swung back and forth gently, causing her body to move subtly along with the breeze. A small, amused smile crossed her lips as she watched the exasperated looks on the rest of the crew's faces.

"I'm sure once we reach the island, there will be some way to cool off," Robin reasoned, her words not offering the amount of comfort she had hoped. The crew had considered simply dropping anchor and expanding the small pool, but the water was too warm to offer much respite from the searing heat overhead.

As the time continued to pass, the grumblings of displeasure from the ship's captain grew louder, which in turn increased the annoyance level of the rest of the crew. The shade of the orange trees began to dwindle as the Sun approached the midway point of its trek across the blue sky, seemingly stopping to laugh and taunt the weary outlaws.

"If only the stupid Sun would go down already," Chopper said unenthusiastically, a short-lived burst of comfort passing through his small frame as he pictured the relative cool of night. The same thought reached the others, and they each wished in unison that the burning sphere of heat would simply disappear, as though their wills could force such an impossible feat.

"Ah, Nami-swaaa~n! Robin-chwaa~n! I, your loyal and faithful Prince have prepared a cool drink for the pair of you," Sanji sung as he emerged from the galley holding a tray containing two drinks. The entire crew rose into an outrage as they huddled around the tall blonde, gazing at the beverages as though they were the most beloved treasure in the world.

"Eh, no fair, how come they get cold drinks while the rest of us are sweating and suffering!?" Usopp asked, his face reddened by the exposure to the sun. Luffy and Chopper each nodded, the former's eyes glued to the almost hypnotic blue mixture. Moisture dripped down the outside of the tall glass cylinder, the drink looking so elegant and sweet as the cook handed one each to the objects of his endless affections.

"Because delicate flowers need to be handled with plenty of care," Sanji offered, a smile of pride on his face as he watched the pair of young women take their first sips of the specially prepared drink. "And besides," he continued, his lips curling into a sneer of almost disgust towards the males of the crew, "who's the one who ate all the ice cream on the ship?"

As Sanji's words landed, the captain of the small band looked away with incredible guilt, the eyes of the rest burning with malice at being reminded of the loss of the frosty treats the day before. None wanted to waste anymore energy than necessary, and so slinked off towards whatever cool spots they could find, silently cursing the straw hat wearing captain as they sought shelter from the incredible heat.

While Nami and Robin sipped at their drinks, Sanji took a seat between them, making sure that Luffy didn't try and steal the frosty drinks for himself. Small beads of sweat dripped down his forehead as the Sun shone down on the deck, causing the young man to loosen his red shirt, wishing he had some way to cool down.

"Ah, Sanji-kun, it's definitely a good thing you got your own back-up power for the refrigerator," Nami said, her body cooling off quickly with the special concoction dripping down her throat. A small sigh of appreciation passed through her pinkened lips as she sipped, offering a genuine smile at the eager young man.

"Oh, your words of kindness are too much for one as unworthy as myself. But I am glad you enjoy the drink," Sanji swooned, pink hearts fluttering away from his eyes. As he continued to fawn over Nami, Luffy made his way towards the raven haired young woman, his eyes still glued to the sweet looking drink as it seemed to taunt him, almost glistening in the afternoon sun.

Crouched in front of the young archaeologist, he watched the satisfied expression on her face as she slowly drank the beverage before catching his staring expression. The young woman smiled, knowing instantly what was on the younger boy's mind.

"Would you like some?" she offered, causing the captain's eyes to light up to match the Sun, his face suddenly only an inch from hers. As she offered him the chilled glass, her fingertips grazed across his, the warmth of his skin filling the small space between them. Once the drink was firmly in his hands, the young man took a position next to the girl, staring enticingly at the drink as it sat just on front of his face.

Before taking a sip, he looked towards the young woman, his face alight with the kind of genuine, easy smile that she thought only he was capable of. "Ah, thanks Robin," he said, a small chuckle escaping his lips catching Sanji's attention. The cook's uncovered eye widened as Luffy's lips took the place where once Robin's had been.

"Nooooooo!" Sanji screamed, his knees hitting the deck as he slumped forward, the sound drawing the rest of the gang out of their hiding places. Looks of concern etched on their faces, they came out onto the deck, ready for some kind of trouble.

"Oi, what's wrong?" Usopp asked, hoping that there were not Marines to deal with. Eyes darted from Sanji's collapsed form over towards Robin, curious why Luffy holding the cup that had once held the delectable treat was such a big deal.

"Ah…" Sanji mumbled, blonde locks falling down over his eyes as he stared at the deck.

"What the hell happened?" Zoro asked, irritated that he had shown any worry over something the ship's cook had said. For a moment, there was silence, Luffy looking over towards the scene with a look of curiosity, the nearly empty glass in his hand as his right brow quirked upward.

"Indirect kiss…" Sanji mumbled, pounding the deck in frustration as the scene played out in his head, entirely overblown but reasonable to him.

"Idiot," the whole crew mumbled to themselves as they shuffled off back towards their cool spots. Luffy looked to Robin, who in turn looked back to him. Blue eyes caught deep pools of black, and a soft blush crept on her cheeks.

'_I suppose it is,'_ the black haired woman thought, feeling a childish nervousness over the issue. At that moment, she wondered if his lips tasted like Sanji's special drink.

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**Ah, Robin is still a sweetie at heart, I think. Maybe that's just me. Anyway, how did you all like this? I really got my motivation to write this one after catching 'The Nines' the other day (fantastic movie if you haven't seen it). I was also stoked that 'The Hurt Locker' won best picture, because it was a really great movie. I haven't settled on the plot for the autumn themed story for chapter 4, but it could be a bit darker and more melancholy (sort of a reverse side to a certain story from Warmth For A Flower). But who knows. Also thinking of a sort of 'new meets old' story, where the Straw Hats meet the sort of Straw Hats v2 (with Crocodile and Jimbei and gang). Thoughts on that are welcome. Until next time, good readers.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Serious Side of Goofy Chapter 4: A Bitter Fall**

**Rating: K**

**The slightly more melancholy, yet hopeful chapter of the story. Took me a bit longer to write than I meant it to, and apologies if the flashback parts are a bit unclear. Thoughts as always are welcome, and enjoy the chapter.

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At the far end of the Grand Line, one island marked the end of the impossible journey across the treacherous seas. Marines and pirates alike found the trek fraught with challenges, both physical and mental, and as a result, only one group of men had completed the quest. Only the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and his crew had landed upon the impossible shores. That was the case until the second pirate king had come along.

Beneath a shroud of fog, the island faced out towards the open seas, warning any who dared approach the tall, wide plateau. Tall, wide plateaus seemed to make up most of the island, offering no easy spot for disembarkation. Unlike any most islands along the way, the last island of the Grand Line showed no signs of civilization, save for a single small home near the center of the island.

Surrounded on all sides by the sheer cliffs, the home sat situated in a small clearing, thick trees filling the space between it and the base of the mountains. A chilled breeze blew down, giving the panes of glass a stiff rattling. Deep within the wooden structure, a single form laid lazily in a large bed, holding the thick red covers up near her chin as though warding off the coming day.

As though spurred on by some force above, a single ray pushed through the thick mist, flowing freely through the clear glass onto the soft skin of the woman's face. Eyes squinted involuntarily, giving one last gesture to fight off the urge to wake up. But the Sun above was an impossible opponent, as the single beam of light seemed to concentrate on the pair of eyes.

With a sense of defeat, a pair of crystalline blue eyes opened, fluttering a bit at first as she grew acclimated to the change in brightness. Long black hair cascaded gently to the center of the young woman's back, a few strands sticking out as a natural result of a good night's sleep.

"Ah, I suppose it's not good to stay asleep too long," she said simply, her head shifting towards the pane of glass. Tantalizingly soft lips curled into a simple smile as she watched the usual haze move back in front of the Sun, the warming light fading back from where it had come.

Slipping her slender legs from within the warm comfort of the simple bed, the young woman dropped her feet onto the cool wood of the floor to the right side of the bed. A short chill pressed up her body, raising small goose bumps along her slender frame. Slinking forward a bit, she ran her slender fingers through the somewhat tangled mess of black hair, watching as a few strands fell in front of her eyes.

As the haze of sleep passed, her mind began clicking back into action, and her eyes narrowed sadly as she thought on what day it was. In her usually calm manner, the tall young woman made her way towards the desk in the far corner of the room. Carefully organized papers and a couple of simple books sat upon the polished wooden frame. Reaching towards the back corner, she pulled out a simple calendar, a small ache echoing in her heart as memories flooded her mind.

"It's hard to believe it's already been ten years," she said sadly, the usually calm, collected voice unable to hide the sadness she was feeling. Flashes of a bright smile, beneath a goofy looking scar under his left eye. Resting her hands against the edge of the sturdy desk, she turned around, leaning backwards against the piece of furniture as she thought back to her days as a pirate.

_If one had described the events of those times to her, she would have written it off as complete fiction, the result of the storyteller's overactive imagination. All the things they did were beyond any kind of belief. Always charging head first into any kind of danger, that was the kind of crew that Monkey D. Luffy had put together. Fierce and loyal, a close knit group that would make enemies of the world for one of their nakama._

_She wasn't sure when it had happened exactly, but over the course of their time together her feelings towards the usually goofy, light-hearted captain grew from respect and friendship to something more deep rooted. Something she hadn't really known in her life of being a fugitive. Love._

_And when she had realized it, she started to notice other things. The way he pushed himself so far beyond his limits was not natural, and though the others worried about it in the aftermath of each battle, she found herself fearing that each time he went into a battle, a hard fight against a powerful enemy, that it would be his last. Logic had never applied to the man who did not dream, or wish to become the Pirate King._

_It was a simple fact, one that he would tell to anyone who cared to listen. The sheer confidence of his speech hung in her mind even now, drawing a warmth to her body that she found increasingly hard to remember. Even the impossibility that was Monkey D. Luffy could not fight off the inevitable forever._

_Despite all the battles won, despite all the victories and the raucous parties and celebrations, Luffy's tendency to push himself so hard finally caught up with him as the crew reached the end of their journey. Bright smiles became more faded with each new adventure, his unnatural vitality disappearing into the mist around Raftel._

_Almost as though his life was tied to the journey, bartered with some unseen force to push himself only that far, Robin could see the end as his sandals touched down on the black sand of the beach, his lips curling into that triumphant smile that any who knew the name Straw Hat Luffy would recognize._

_The rest of the crew lazily made their way onto the narrow beach, comments of wonder and amazement as they took in the scenery. But as their eyes were all focused on the tall cliffs that seemed to nearly fill the entirety of the island, Robin's sapphire gaze rested on her young captain, an unexplainable sense of foreboding in her chest as she watched him._

_Making her way towards the young man, she watched as the rest of the crew made their way towards the wide mountains. For the first time she could recall, the rest of the group actually got ahead of the young captain. The brim of the straw hat fluttered in the wind as his body came to a stop. Crisp footprints in the sand became something of a track, his feet dragging along the finely powdered darkness._

_Before she could even really comprehend what was happening Robin had found herself crying out for the ship's doctor, crashing into the sand next to the most wanted man in the world as the rest of the crew turned back towards the scene unfolding. Slender fingers gripped the rough rubbery skin of the young pirate, his hat falling to the ground as she turned his face up._

_The rest of the crew gathered around, worried looks on their faces as Luffy panted, trying to fill his lungs with breath. Chopper looked over the young man, look of complete exasperation on his face as he examined the goofy captain. He had warned Luffy on many occasions not to use his body harming techniques, but the rubber man was never one to listen to reason._

_Shouts still filled her mind as she thought back to that day. Cries of despair and frustration, none of them able to do anything for the man who had done so much for all of them. At the expense of his own body, he had saved them from their tormentors, rescued them from their demons, guided them along the path to wonders which to that point had not been experienced by any other crew._

_And he had shared his dream with them. Brought them each to their own dreams. And then, at the very end, they could only watch helplessly as his life simple faded away. But as she recalled those events, none of the words of the others filled her mind. She could only recall the touch of his palm against her cheeks, fingers brushing away the tears that had begun to spring from her blue eyes._

_Time had seemed to stop as she gazed into the fading pools of inky black of his eyes, her tears dripping down onto the form beneath her. His tangled black hair fanned out against her dark blue Capri pants, his body shaking against hers as he stroked her soft skin._

_"Ah, I guess t-this is t-t-the end," he said, his voice raspy and softer than she had ever heard it. At that point, the dam burst, and the tears began to flow freely. If the others had been speaking, she couldn't remember. It was as if the entire island, the entire world had disappeared into the fog of oblivion, leaving them as the only signs of existence in reality._

_"No, it's not the end. You can't just give up like that. It's not like you!" she had shouted, her voice strained and emotional, each word burning her throat to speak through the tears. She began to plead with him, to console him, to let him know that it would all work out somehow. But he had simply shaken his head gently, his eyes burning directly into hers as he spoke._

_"N-not this… time. I was g-glad I met all… of you…" he said, giving his last speech to his crew. "It's been… f-fun," he added, speaking into vacant space as far as Robin was concerned. Moving her left hand up, she placed it atop his, forcing a smile on her face as she again tried to force him to fight, to pull through like he did so many times before._

_"Robin…" he said, brushing his thumb across her lips, feeling the salty tears begin to flow over his hand, dripping slowly down his arm._

_"Luffy…" she responded, voice choked with tears. His lips curled into what would be the final smile he would give anyone. It was not the smile he showed the world, or even his crew, his group of friends. It was the smile he showed only to her, the smile that said that simple phrase that made her feel safe and secure._

_"I… -ve… you…" he said, his voice fading as his eyes closed. Shouts of agony echoed on the beach, a crash of lightning striking the center of the island as though the heavens themselves mourned the loss of this one particular life. Hunching over his body, Robin held his head against her chest, the tears dripping sadly down her cheeks._

_"I love you too, Luffy," she said to him, a hope deep inside of her holding that maybe those words would cover for all the times he had pushed himself beyond his limits, and wake him back to life. But it was not to be._

_After that, the crew had gone into a period of mourning. All their adventures were recounted, along with tales of all aspects of the young captain. Once they had explored the island, it was decided that Luffy would be buried there at Raftel, right near the center of the island. For all the time they had been together, none of them knew much about the young boy. And it would have been in poor taste to try and carry a dead body out to sea._

_Franky, in his usual manner, erected his most elaborate design he could conceive, a grand slab of stone carved into the shape of the Thousand Sunny. Beneath that was carved a slab of stone, a simple rectangular marker. On it read only a few simple words._

_'Here lies Monkey D. Luffy. The Second Pirate King, leader of the Straw Hat Pirates.'_

_Once it had been completed, the group offered their gratitude to the young man, praising him for the feats he had accomplished in life. But they each took great pain to recount how much he himself had meant to them. A distinctly atmosphere filled the air around the island for the next few weeks, as the group came to terms with what had happened in their own way._

_Finally it came time to decide what to do. They gathered on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, offering their own course of action. Part of them wanted to simply stay together and sail the oceans of the world together. And part of them wished to not move forward at all, to stick together and watch over their friend's grave. But it was Zoro who had suggested that they should honor his spirit and move on._

_So it had been agreed that they would move from the island, and part ways. Nami's was the only goal left unfulfilled, and so was going to continue sailing, keeping Zoro as a bodyguard and Sanji to offer his usual services to the beautiful red head. Usopp decided to return to Syrup Village to be reunited with his beloved Kaya. The group wondered just what he would say when it came time to tell of the ship she had given them, but knew that he would make it through fine._

_Franky decided to head back to Water Seven to help his rival Iceburg, not exactly hiding how proud he was to have constructed the ship that sailed to Raftel. He was certain to rub Iceburg's nose in it on occasion, but that was to be expected. Chopper felt as though he needed to return to his own home, to help train the next generation of doctors on Drum Island. Brook remained undecided as to his indefinite future, but knew in the short term that he needed to see Laboon._

_The only one who couldn't make a decision was Robin. She had deciphered the Poneglyphs, and learned of the True History. She had shared it with her friends, her nakama, so the story would be told to any who dared to listen. After a bit of thought, she had decided to stay there on that island._

_She remembered Nami and Sanji asking why she had made such a decision, but Zoro was good at guessing things like that, and Chopper being the doctor was the first to know. Once she had revealed that Luffy had left her with the most precious treasure of all, the group had their usual reactions of surprise. Not that they hadn't suspected something like that could happen, but to have it given so directly was a surprise._

_With some help from Franky, they had constructed a simple home for the young woman to live in, though for Franky 'something simple' constituted a very sturdy, artistic construction. It was a very nice house, and Robin had offered honest thanks for the simple action. A simple party had followed, one last group celebration to honor the life of their friend before going their separate ways._

_The day the Straw Hats unofficially disbanded would always stick with her as the second worst day of her life, even so much time later, but nothing would pain her more than that even when they finally reached the end of the Grand Line._

"Mommy?" she was shaken from her sad reminiscence by a smaller figure tugging on the lavender dress shirt she wore as her sleepwear. Blinking a few times, she looked down at the young boy in front of her, her heart aching just a bit at the sight of him.

"Oh, I am sorry, I was just reminiscing about something," she said, looking into the eyes of her own tone of blue. Messy black locks swayed as the small boy moved to Robin's right, lifting himself onto the desk next to the still young woman.

"Reminiscing? What does that mean?" he asked, his voice a perfect fit for one imagining his father as a young boy. The face was a spot on match, minus the scar under the left eye. Anytime she gazed at the treasure Luffy had left her, it was almost like he had not left the world after all.

"It means remembering something," she explained, the blue eyes lighting up in curiosity as he looked up at her.

"Were you remembering about dad?" he asked eagerly, always loving to hear tales about his father, the Second Pirate King. Robin giggled a bit at his question, running her slender fingers through the young boy's hair.

"Yes. You really are just like him," she added, earning an embarrassed yet excited grin from her young son. She knew that someday, this boy would follow in his father's footsteps, a thought that made her proud, and terrified her at the same time.

"Someday, I'll go out to sea and make dad proud," the boy said confidently, causing Robin to smile a sad smile. With a motherly affection, she cupped the boy's cheek, hoping that day was far off in the future.

"Ah. I'm sure you will make him proud," she said. The pair sat in simple silence, thoughts of Luffy on their minds. The son filled with stories of his father's adventures, Robin with memories of the man himself.

"It was today, wasn't it?" he asked. Robin looked up to the ceiling, hoping that somewhere, illogically, Luffy was looking down on them.

"It was. How about we go and pay our respects?" she asked, the young boy nodding his head before excitedly disappearing from the room. Once he had disappeared deeper into the house, Robin made her way to the small closet, pulling a single item from the top shelf. A worn, battered straw hat sat in her hands, the item filled with memories.

"I think he'll make a fine pirate someday," Robin said, her lips curling into a soft smile as she could almost feel her love's hand upon her shoulder. Turning her head towards the window, she watched as the season's first flakes of snow fell to the ground.

Even after ten years, the pain still stuck with her. But as she pulled out a simple black dress, she thought that as long as his son was alive, Luffy would never really disappear. While he had fallen, he had left her the best two treasures she could imagine. A family, and the memories of a love she had wanted her whole life. She knew that she would never forget him, and his legacy would always live on.  


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**Writing a Luffy dies scenario made me sad, and again, I apologize if the flashback part wasn't very good. This one was weird to write, so it's not exactly satisfactory. Anyway, next time should be a bit more fun, and hopefully it comes out soon. Until next time, good readers.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Serious Side of Goofy Chapter 5: Morning's Misunderstanding**

**Rating: K+**

**This one is a bit different, in that it's not as centered on the main pairing as stories past. Here, it's really more of a Zoro story, but with the requisite couple. Kind of a different take on it, really. Wasn't sure if I should put it as a Zoro story, but I figured it would work best here. Anyway, thoughts are always welcome, so please enjoy.

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"20, 9...9...8..." Zoro's gruff voice filled the small room atop the main mast, his brow dripping with sweat as he performed his daily workout regimen. He always felt a little disappointed, yet prideful at the same time to know that he was the only member of their group of pirates who took any noticeable effort to train his body.

It was a sort of second nature to him after so long, strengthening his body to help him fend off the threats that awaited them in the seas ahead. `The New World' it had been called. Even the simple name of the second half of the Grand Line was enough to conjure images of an entirely different place, fraught with dangers and wonders not imagined or encountered before.

Green tinted hair clung to his forehead as sweat glistened on his skin. Muscles ached with each simplistic movement, as his mind pushed him to reach beyond his limits. The weight held in his left hand slipped a bit, the sweat in his palm serving to grease the rounded bar of metal.

"20, 9... 9... 9..." he forced the numbers from his lips, aiming for a new personal best. He had always stopped just before this point, never before reaching the 21,000 rep mark with his new set of weights. As the weight dragged his arm down towards the deck, he took a deep breath, anticipating the new milestone with the dense, heavy hunk of metal.

"21...,000," he groaned, the veins on his head near bursting as he willed his arm up towards his shoulder. Once he had crossed the threshold, he let the weight crash down onto the floor beneath him. A loud crash filled the room, and for a moment the green haired swordsman wondered if he and Franky were going to have another stern lecture about taking care of the ship.

If that were to happen, it was pretty much a given that Nami would stick her nose in as well, and the thought of dealing with the usually miserly red head filled him with a dread that sent chills up his spine. Should one ask him honestly, he would prefer a rematch with Mihawk to dealing with the ship's navigator, especially if she was in one of her particularly offensive moods.

Gripping the small towel from the bench, the young man quickly wiped himself off, his chest rising and falling as his breathing got back to normal. Once he was satisfied that he was wiped down adequately, he hung the now damp towel around his neck. As he opened the door to the lookout nest, the cool sea breeze licked at his still damp skin, giving him a reassuring, relaxing feel.

A small, satisfied smirk tugged at his lips as he looked out at the horizon, watching the gentle rise and fall of the tides. Waves lapped at the sides of the comfortable vessel as the sails fluttered in the gentle breeze. Looking down, he saw no signs of the rest of the crew. The silence was a bit foreboding, given the ship he was on, but the cocky young man shrugged it off.

"Guess they're just taking it easy in the lounge," he assumed, idly thinking that he had seldom known Luffy to be quiet, or even indoors for that matter. It seemed the only time he wasn't out on the head of the ship was when he was fooling around with Usopp and Chopper or when it was time to eat.

With a subtle bend of the knees, the young man leapt from the tall mast, keeping the towel pressed to his shoulders as he sailed through the air. Brown eyes widened as he spotted a lone figure at the base of the mast, just where he was going to land. Before he could make a motion to change his course, he found himself landing atop the red clothed individual.

The second time he had heard a loud crashing sound that morning, Zoro felt a more intense shortness of breath than he had even felt during his workout. Scanning the immediate surroundings, he saw no signs of a second party, and for a moment he wondered if his mind were just playing tricks on him.

Ears twitched as he heard a subtle, muffled whining sound. He had heard it enough times to recognize it, and he was immediately ready to beat some sense into the idiotic rubber man who called himself the captain. But he was nowhere to be seen. The young man tilted his head to the side as the whining continued, and something warm seemed to be wriggling around beneath him.

Realization dawned on him, and he lazily extricated himself from atop the man beneath him. Strong, rubbery hands pressed down on the deck on either side of what appeared to be a long, stretched out neck. Zoro pressed a pair of fingers to his left temple, watching as the idiotic pirate tried to remove his head from its resting place within the deck.

After a few moments of fruitless effort, the older man figured he should offer a bit of help, and gripped the younger boy by the ankles. A solid pull, and the familiar tufts of black hair swayed in the breeze as his head came free with an audible pop.

Standing over his friend, Zoro watched as the Captain rubbed his head, whining about getting his head stuck again. It seemed to happen far too frequently, as far as Zoro was concerned. Once was usually enough for most people. But, he had to admit, this particular time it was partially his fault. He should probably have been more wary of someone sitting right at the base of the mast, where he usually leapt when he was done with his exercise.

"Ah, sorry about that Luffy, but you should be more careful," he cautioned, wondering in the back of his mind how he could possibly have missed Luffy's presence. Any other time, the boy in the red vest may as well have been wearing a sandwich board advertising who he was, and what it was he was doing or looking for.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Luffy apologized in return, smiling weakly as he propped the hat upon his head. Zoro's curiosity was now officially piqued. He watched as the normally idiotically energetic young man dusted off his rolled up jeans before taking his position at the base of the mast once more.

Charcoal tinted eyes drifted, focusing on nothing as his head bobbed up and down with the tides. If Zoro hadn't known better, he'd think Luffy was... depressed? The green haired man shook his head. That was an absurd thought. Luffy. Depressed? Not likely. And yet, the distant gaze persisted, and a hint of concern dawned on the first member of the pirate crew.

"Alright, what gives?" he asked, leaning against the mast to the younger boy's right. A trail of sweat dripped down his muscular frame, his trio of earrings moving gently in the breeze along with his hair.

"Huh? W-what do you mean?" Luffy asked, his naturally honest nature getting the better of him as he tried to play off the topic. He was always easy to read, especially if he was perceived to have been caught in a guilty position.

"Look, if you don't want to spill, that's fine, but what will you do if the others see you looking all spaced out and distant, huh?" Zoro prodded. That was always the quickest way to get Luffy's attention, to relate matters to the running of the pirate crew. Turning his eyes towards the slender boy, he seemed somehow smaller than he had ever looked before.

Like he was just a boy, and not one of the most dangerous people in the world by the Government's estimations. Black eyes shifted, dipping beneath the shade of his hat's brim as he seemed to fumble for what it was that he wanted to say. Part of Zoro thought of just telling the boy to get on with it, that he didn't have the patience to deal with it. But if it was really important, that could have a worse effect on whatever was going on.

"Oh, it's nothing really important," Luffy began, his eyes peeking out from beneath the small shade, a nervous smile on his face as he looked out to the sea.

"Then why are you acting all nervous?" the older man asked, watching as Luffy scuffed his sandals back and forth on the deck of the ship. Certainly, he was not acting like his usually goofy, insensitive self.

"W-well." Luffy began again, the words seeming like quick sand to his mouth. Whatever he tried to say seemed to get bogged down, never to see the surface. Turning his head towards his first nakama, he took a deep breath before continuing. "It's Robin," he admitted, his shoulders slumping as though saying the pair of words alone had relieved some huge burden.

"What about her?" Zoro asked, genuine curiosity on his voice as he looked back at the younger boy. It must have been something quite special to get Luffy so worked up and spaced out about it. His naturally suspicious mind clicked into action, wondering what the archaeologist could be plotting this time. He, like the rest of the crew, had noticed how much more cheerful she seemed of late, particularly towards the... captain...

"Oi, are you two-?" his question was cut off by a rubbery hand clamping itself over his lips, Luffy's eyes alight with distress like a wild animal caught in a trap. All the confidence he had seen in Luffy when they had fought any number of opponents seemed to belong to someone else at that moment, Luffy's eyes darting back and forth, like he was checking to see if the coast was clear.

The unused hand crooked his finger downward, indicating that he wanted Zoro to come closer so he could get the information out without being overheard. Deja vu. This reminded him of the way the rest of the crew conspired together to keep Luffy away from certain things, usually food related.

Once he had crouched down at the boy's side, he watched as Luffy took one last scan of the surroundings to see if things were calm. Once he was satisfied, the younger boy sighed in relief before staring directly at the older man.

"Neh, Zoro..." he started, his earnestness causing the gruff warrior to gulp. The atmosphere had a strange quality to it, almost like someone making a confession of affection, which would be a cause for worry of a different kind. He felt the strong fingers grip his shoulders as Luffy stared pleadingly at the older man. An embarrassed, shameful blush crept on his cheeks as he thought of a way to politely refuse in the worst case that played in his head.

"Oi, Luffy, you know, that's not something you should really be-" Zoro began to stutter, wishing for the world that he had not been working out that particular morning.

"You have to help me! I think Robin's trying to kill me!" Luffy squeaked, his voice filled with a nervous pleading. All Zoro's anxiety dried up as the words hit him, his blush darkening as he censured himself for letting his imagination wander off in that direction. Spending so much time around the love-cook was definitely not a good thing.

"Wait. Just, wait a minute. What?" Zoro asked, his mind overflowing with relief that he had simply misinterpreted the situation. But as the wave of relief passed, an overwhelming sense of curiosity filled the void. Robin? Trying to kill Luffy? It didn't make any sense.

"Like I said, I think she's trying to kill me," Luffy complained as though he felt stupid at having to repeat himself, his face filled with worry as he looked at the older crew member. Zoro tried to fit the pieces together. It made less sense the more he thought about it. Luffy, among those in the crew, was probably by far the LEAST likely person to be targeted by the mysterious older woman.

"What makes you say that? What did she do?" Zoro asked, leaning against the mast as Luffy did the same. A warm, yet chilling breeze blew across the deck, causing goosebumps to show on Zoro's skin. `_What an eerie wind..._' he thought to himself, trying to picture the two people together.

"Well..." Luffy began, taking a deep breath before continuing. "She just never stops. She wants to do it ALL the time, and I just can't keep up with her," the goofy boy said, dead serious as the words escaped his lips. Zoro blinked in dumbfounded astonishment.

"Wait, you... and her... are," Zoro said, watching out of the corner of his eye as Luffy nodded in confirmation. That itself was news to Zoro. He prided himself on being able to read people, and he didn't really recall them spending much time on their own... though he did have a tendency to sleep a lot around the crew. But he didn't sleep THAT much... did he?

"Like I said, I think she's just trying to kill me by taking all my energy. She's like an energy sucking vampire," Luffy said nervously. Zoro's imagination filled in the picture, and he had to admit she had that kind of vibe to her at times. Shaking the image from his mind, the older man let the information sink in.  
Luffy, the most immature member of their little gang, and Robin, by far the most mature, in a romantic relationship? Together. In a romantic sense. Tilting his head up toward the sky, Zoro watched a set of clouds drift lazily overhead, casting a light shadow on the world beneath. For a moment, he wondered if he had landed in some kind of bizarro world, and he felt an urge to make sure the sky overhead was still blue. The green haired swordsman smiled as it hit him.

"Well, I can't say I know all the details, but I do know she's not trying to kill you," he answered, a sound of disbelief coming from the man at his left. The wiser man fought back a chuckle, figuring it was better not to tease the boy too much about it yet. The first person he would mess with regarding this information would definitely be the stupid dartboard brow. Picturing the look of abject anger and frustration on his fellow crewmate's face gave Zoro a definite sense of amusement.

"Then what is she trying to do?" Luffy pleaded, his simplistic mind trying to fill in the blanks that might have resulted from his older friend's attempt at explaining. Zoro thought for a moment, trying to find the right words.

"Well, I just think she likes being around you. We've all seen how much energy you have all the time, so she probably just thinks it's fine. Maybe her biological clock is ticking..." Zoro mused, watching Luffy's clear look of confusion. The older man sighed as he looked at his younger friend.. "It means she wants to start a family of her own," he whispered, snickering a bit at Luffy's facial expression. If only he had a way to capture such a moment forever, it would surely provide lots of laughs for the rest of the crew.

Zoro could tell that Luffy was trying, for what it was worth given his capabilities, to process the information. Clearly, a family was among the few things Luffy would actually take somewhat seriously. The swordsman also figured that he wouldn't be opposed to the idea, given the right circumstances. Even though Luffy could be an insensitive clod at times, he always knew when to do the right thing.

"So, you think she wants to have... kids?" Luffy asked, watching with a bit of apprehension as Zoro nodded his head. As the atmosphere turned a bit heavier between the two of them, the topic of their discussion spotted them through the small window on the door to the cabin.

"Ah, there you are, Luffy," Robin's soft, flowery voice sounded from the opposite end of the deck as she swung open the sturdy wooden door. Her tall, well endowed figure emerged from the lounge, raven locks falling as neatly as ever around her elegant features. Luffy gulped in what could only be described as abject terror as he caught sight of the girl as she walked towards them.

"R-R-Robin, w-what are you d-doing? I'm j-just relaxing a little bit. Ha-haha-haha," Luffy said, his voice breaking a bit with each syllable. The mysterious archaeologist smiled sweetly at the younger boy, watching him try and back into the mast behind him. Coming to a stop next to the pair, she turned her attention towards Zoro.

"Ah, mister swordsman. I trust you are doing alright this morning?" she asked innocently. Zoro turned his eyes back at her, shrugging a non-vocal confirmation of her greeting. The older woman laughed a bit, figuring that Zoro was of the type to always be at ease unless something specifically bad happened.

"Well, I better get cleaned up," Zoro added, grunting a bit as he came to a standing position in front of the mast. Casting a look towards the young captain, he had to try even harder to hide the chuckle that was threatening to pour out.

"I believe mister cook is nearly done with preparing breakfast, so I am sure that would be appreciated," Robin added, watching as Zoro headed towards the welcoming silence of the small ship's cabin.

Zoro watched the look of near betrayal in Luffy's eyes, the charcoal tinted orbs wordlessly shouting threats of retribution even as they begged for some form of aid. As he gripped the handle to the door, Zoro gave a last piece of advice seemingly to no one before disappearing into the cabin.

"Oh, I don't think anyone's going to be up in the lookout for the rest of the day, so if you just clean it up a little, it should be nice and quiet," he teased, motioning a hand back towards the apparent couple. He could picture the look of nervousness on Luffy's face, but figured there was nothing wrong with it. He figured that Robin was only expressing the deep seated desires she had been holding back during her years of betrayal and self preservation.

He figured that Luffy's selfless actions and devotion to those close to him had probably just sparked some basic feelings of appreciation, causing them to bloom into something a bit more important. He had given her a place of comfort, a sanctuary from the outside world where she could be whatever she wanted, and not what she needed to be. He just hoped that the two of them wouldn't make a mess of his gym. The aftermath was something he didn't want to think about as he slipped into the shower.

That was the last anyone would see of Luffy or Robin for the rest of that day, and only Zoro had any idea what had happened. The rest of the gang would figure it out sooner or later, but he didn't see any reason why he should break it to them.

* * *

**Not as confident about this one as previous stories, but I leave it to you the reader to make those kind of judgement. Anyway, I am still trying to get back into the groove of writing, and it is a bit difficult. Sometimes I feel like I've written all there is, and I'm going to end up treading old ground. Thinking about it, this seems like an earlier one, as well. Ah, well. Hopefully I can think of something more fun to write for next time, so until then good readers.**


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